Friend in Need
by SerenityFalconNormandy
Summary: Written for the Dragon Age Reddit Companion Challenge Prompt: Free form- anything of your choosing, as long as it's from the pov of the companion. Returning to Skyhold after the infamous waterfall scene is awkward. Dorian attempts to make it less so.


The ride from Crestwood back to Skyhold was distinctly _uncomfortable_. Dorian pulled his flask from the packs on his horse's withers, taking a quick sip and stuffing it back in before turning to shoot a glare over his shoulder at Solas.

He was staring at Fen'lath _again_. The abominable cretin actually had a heartbroken look on his face, like _he_ wasn't the one who had left her a dreadful, sobbing mess next to an admittedly gorgeous waterfall. Dorian had at least had the tact not to mention that without her _vallaslin_ , Fen's high cheekbones became the highlight of her face. They were as worthy of marble as his profile. Dorian made a mental note to commission a sculptor to carve a bust of his darling Fen to take back to Tevinter with him when this was all over.

Bull, bless his brutish, sappy heart, had come immediately when Dorian had called for him, picking her up and cradling her like a baby. After getting her back to camp and tucking her into their cot, his dear Amatus had also had a little 'chat' with Solas. Dorian didn't know what exactly was said, but the cretin had come back with a black eye, and Bull had burns on his chest and shoulder that he'd had no problem fretting over. Bull liked it when he fretted over him.

Dropping back from beside Bull and behind Fen and her hart, Dorian evened up with Solas. "You can't keep looking at her like that, you know. _You're_ the one who broke _her_ heart."

"Dorian, please." Solas gave him a pained look. The black eye was now a sickly yellow-green eye. He wasn't healing it? _Interesting_.

"No, no. Bull got to say his piece, even if it was with his fist as much as his words, and I intend to as well. Significantly fewer fists, possibly more fireballs. Potentially a larger vocabulary."

"It is done, can we not keep our minds on the task at hand? I have distracted Fen- _the Inquisitor_ from her duties and the fight against Corypheus long enough."

" _Distracted_ her?" Dorian felt the urge to climb the side of Solas's hart to try and strangle him. "You're the only one who's helped her stay _sane_ through half of this ridiculousness!"

"Dorian," Solas sighed and gave him a hard look. "Stop."

"Is it that superiority you manage to ooze no matter what company you're in? Did you decide that one of the best and most magnificent women on Thedas wasn't good enough for you?" He was hopping mad, and Dorian didn't intend to leave it alone when he'd hurt his Fen so.

"Has it never occurred to you that maybe _I_ decided I am not good enough for _her?_ " Fen and Bull turned around on their mounts. Solas didn't raise his voice like that, let alone shout in anger. It hurt to see the hope in Fen's eyes as she looked at Solas, who was studiously avoiding her gaze.

"Don't you think that's up to her?"

Instead of responding, Solas spurred his hart forward, cantering ahead of Fen and Bull. Fen kicked Stormhart's sides, braids bouncing across her back as she chased after him.

Lace piped up uncertainly, "Should we send someone after them?"

Bull rumbled from beside Dorian, "Nah, they're still a good fighting team, and the gossip will be bad enough as it is. Let them have some privacy while they still have a chance for it."

"What do you think of all this, _Amatus?_ " Bull's Ben-Hassrath training would be able to suss out whether Solas was being untruthful or not.

Bull scratched his chin, the reins of his nuggalope loose around the fingers of the other hand. "He's conflicted, that much is certain. Solas really loves her, it's all still there in his body language and he's beating himself up over it. There's something else he's guilting himself with. It may be he does think he's not good enough for her, or maybe it's something else."

"What else could it be?"

"Hell if I know, _kadan_. Hell if I know. If he makes her cry again, I might have to blacken his other eye, though. No one makes my girl cry."

"Hear, hear _Amatus_."

Coming up over the rise, Dorian spied Solas and Fen'lath, both dismounted from their harts. Solas had put a soundproof barrier around them, and it appeared that Fen was shouting and gesturing at him while pacing back and forth, obsidian braids whipping around her shoulders every time she turned.

Solas, damn him, had his hands clasped behind his back like he used to all the way back at Haven when he was expounding on the Fade to Fen. She noticed, and the magnificent fire lit in her, marching right up to the cad and jabbing her finger at his chest while she yelled something. Fen didn't touch, she wouldn't be so rude, it certainly startled Solas and he stepped back.

Fen'lath stepped forward, expression softening. One of her small, tanned hands cupped Solas's cheek, and Dorian felt it in his gut when the elf's eyes fluttered closed like he was savoring the touch, then stepped away as he said something.

The barrier fell. Fen's voice sounded so very small and uncertain. "Do I have your word on that, Solas?"

He simply nodded, and re-mounted on his hart. Bull stopped the nuggalope next to Fen and reached down, lifting her onto Stormhart one-armed. "You okay, Boss?"

"Not really, Bull, but at least I have something I didn't have before." Stormhart fell into step with Bull and Dorian's mounts easily, used to both the horse and nuggalope now.

"What is that, my darling?" Dorian reached out and took Fen's hand, kissing the back of it to let her know he was there for her as she had been there for him at Redcliffe and through everything after.

"I have his promise that we will speak about us after Corypheus is slain. He thinks he 'distracted' me. If the distraction is no longer there for him to use, I might be able to get some real answers, at least." Her voice wavered, and Dorian wanted to turn around and knock Solas off his hart for putting that waver there.

Bull leaned over and mock-whispered, "Would you mind if I blackened his other eye later?"

"Tempting as the offer is, Bull, I would prefer that Solas be able to use _both_ eyes if we're attacked by anything."

"Aaah." Bull sat up and rolled his shoulders, which let out a series of truly alarming pops. "You _never_ let me have any fun, Boss."

"I'll admit my memory isn't _quite_ as good as yours, Bull, but I do seem to remember bringing you along to kill at _least_ ten dragons." Fen gave him a half-smile.

"You're going to remind me about that forever, aren't you?"

"Bull, _Amatus?_ " Dorian gave Bull an innocent smile.

"What, _kadan?_ "

Dorian sing-songed out, "You're the one who told us what ' _taarsidath-an halsaam_ ' meant after killing the Fereldan Frostback. Of course we're going to remind you forever."

Bull roared with laughter. His darling Fen smiled, at least. A full smile. Dorian peered back over his shoulder at Solas. Still that sad, lovesick look. Well, if he wanted to be a stubborn ass and make himself miserable, he could be alone in that misery. Dorian was hellbent and determined to keep Fen's spirits up until that-that _hobo_ pulled his head out of his hindquarters.


End file.
